The present invention relates to wheel assemblies and, more particularly, to auxiliary wheel assemblies for manually propelled wheeled vehicles
Several types of manually propelled wheeled vehicles exist which carry groceries, luggage, or the like. Generally, these apparatuses include a frame, pair of wheels attached to the frame to enable movement and a stop or rest to enable the device to be retained in an upright position when the wheels are not in use. When the wheels of the device are in a use position, the user generally pushes or pulls the device on its wheels. When the device is being pushed or pulled, the wheels are on the ground and the handle is on the frame above the wheels. Also as the device is pushed or pulled, a load is created on the frame by the weight of the groceries, luggage or the like. As the load increases, the downward force on the handle increases. Elderly users of grocery carts and the like generally cannot sustain this increased force on the handle. Thus, the increased force causes the elderly user to lose control of the cart causing the spillage of their groceries or the like.
Several types of carriers have been introduced that have wheels positioned behind the standard carrier wheels for enhancing the stability of the device. The following U.S. patents illustrate relevant art. The U.S. patents are as follows: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,155,896; 2,693,968; 2,918,295; 3,064,990; 3,460,850; 3,627,344; 3,774,929; and 4,630,837.
While the above art discloses three and four-wheeled carriers, the art has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that several of the carriers are noncollapsible; they are always extended in a use position. The carriers that are collapsible, however, may only be utilized on that particular device. Also, the carriers do not provide a universal assembly that may be moved from one carrier to another.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the described art. The present invention provides the art with an auxiliary wheel assembly that may be moved from carrier to carrier to provide the carrier with additional stability and to spread the carrier load among more wheels. Also, the present invention provides the art with an auxiliary wheel assembly that is removably secured to a carrier device which may be moved from a use position to an out-of-the-way non-use or storage position.
The present invention provides the art with a new and improved auxiliary wheel assembly. The wheel assembly of the present device includes a U-shaped frame member. A mechanism to removably secure the frame to a manually propelled wheeled vehicle or carrier is positioned adjacent to the free ends of the legs of the U-shaped frame. At least one wheel is associated with the frame to provide additional stability to the manually propelled carrier and to spread out the load of the manually propelled wheel carrier among another wheel.
A mechanism for enabling size expansion and reduction of the base of the U-shaped frame which, in turn, enables the legs of the frame to move toward and away from one another may be included. Also, a bracket may be secured to the frame and the manually propelled wheel device to enable the wheel of the auxiliary wheel assembly to move from a use to a non-use position.
From the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art.